Highlights in recent Derby history

Tomorrow one of the most important matches of the season will be played at the Westfalenstadion: the Derby. Borussia Dortmund hosts the match against a team from a suburb of Gelsenkirchen: FC Sch*lke. To get started, here is a little review of some highlights in recent Derby history.

12.05.2007 – The day FC Schei…e died

It might probably be a stupid decision to start with this derby because the question is ‘can it get any better??’. Most certainly not: The 12th May of 2007 could have been a very special day for all the fans of Herne West. Invading Dortmund with a massive away support of nearly 20,000 they tried to conquer the town. Afterwards, all tissues were sold out. Asamoah had announced beforehand that Sch*lke was going to win the Championship in Dortmund and have Dortmund relegated. If that works he wanted to walk home – barefoot. Fortunately, that plan didn’t work. Alex Frei and Ebi Smolarek scored probably the most important goals in Derby history. A complacent and scared Sch*lke were totally hit on the wrong foot. Our BVB was more motivated, running more, scoring more. A black and yellow machine that had just one goal: to destroy Sch*lke’s championship dreams. When Smolarek scored the 2-0 it was crystal clear: A whole lifetime without a championship!

13.09.2008 – Kloppo’s first time

‘They’re gonna fire me after the match’, Klopp admitted having had these thoughts during the match. Sch*lke went up 3-0 and it was totally deserved. Ok, Rafinha who scored the 2-0 should have already been sent off but that didn’t matter. Sch*lke was in every aspect on top. Some people were already leaving the stadium and missed one hell of a comeback. Neven Subotic who had been to blame in some scenes early in the match, scored. Suddenly, the match turned around. Our BVB was now getting stronger with every minute. Referee Wagner showed extreme problems with that match which made it possible for Alex Frei to score a beautiful goal from a clear off-side position. Nobody cared and just embraced a stunning goal. Sch*lke were knocked and Fabian Ernst somehow didn’t know how to deal with it other than striking Kuba down from behind. Ernst would later admit that he slipped and that his aggressive look on his face made it seem like it was on purpose … Pander had been sent off as well a couple of minutes earlier and again Rafinha was lucky again(!) not being sent off as well. However, in the 89th minute referee Wagner blew the whistle again. Handball by Kristajic, penalty for Dortmund. There it was: a fair decision leading to equality in terms of poor judgements. Frei did what he had to and scored. 3-3, cracking evening! Wagner ended the match after 90 minutes, no injury time at all which was again poor judgement but for his own safety because we would have scored again and everyone in blue and white would have blamed him. This left us at least with an historic draw.

19.09.2010 – Kagawa, the Derby hero

Whenever there is a match on 19th of September it seems to be a good omen. A couple of match days into the season we had Sch*lke on the away leg. We were on a good run, lost the first match against Leverkusen but had won all the others. A certain Kagawa Shinji was making a first impression showing loads of talent and coolness. Nonetheless he was hard working and a perfect fit for our pressing back then. 1,903+1 tickets of the away area were not sold: BVB fans boycotted the match due to too high prices and set a sign not being in the stadium for a Derby! They told the team beforehand but the empty seats did not seem to affect any of the players. Sch*lke were lucky that evening. If the goal had no crossbar or posts or if Manuel Neuer had not been the keeper, Sch*lke could have easily conceded double figures. Kagawa scored twice and Lewandowski once. Hunterlaar scored from Sch*lke’s first and only attempt in the whole match. A cracking win AND a cracking party: All the people that stayed at home gave the team a warm welcome when they approached Dortmund. Flares and songs for all the players and a celebration as if we had already won the championship (which happened seven months later anyways).